


Quinn's Special Day

by Lady_Saddlebred



Series: Lessons They Never Taught Me [18]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 07:42:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5197814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Saddlebred/pseuds/Lady_Saddlebred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This really should have been posted in October, but anyway…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quinn's Special Day

Title: Quinn’s Special Day

Author: Lady_Saddlebred (cdelapin@yahoo.com)

Archive: Yes, please

Category: Q/O, Alternate Reality, Angst, Romance

Rating: PG  
Series: Lessons They Never Taught Me in School (archived)

 

DISCLAIMER: George Lucas owned everything, until he sold it to Disney. We own nothing, just playing in his playground.

 

Not beta’ed. Any mistakes are mine.

 

Previous fics in series: all on AO3 website:  
Early Admission  
Lessons They Never Taught Me in School  
Lessons That Were Never on the Syllabus  
That Which Does Not Go to School  
Rainy Day Recess   
Of Popcorn and Pine Trees  
Fit to Print  
Daffodils  
Spring Cotillion  
Is That a Lightsaber I See Before Me  
A Pen for Your Thoughts  
When I Was Your Age  
Partners  
Mum’s the Word  
Best Laid Plans  
An Apple for Teacher

 

~*~*~*~

 

The phone in his office rang. “Biology Department, Professor Donovan speaking.”

 

“Congratulations, Professor!”

 

“Beg pardon?”

 

“Just wanted to call and wish you all the best!”

 

“Um, thank you, but may one inquire as to the reason?”

 

“Just thought it was the thing to do. See ya!” The caller rang off with a merry laugh, leaving him more than a little puzzled. Then he shrugged philosophically and returned to preparing his mid-term reviews.

 

The phone rang again. “Biology Department. Professor Donovan speaking.”

 

“Hi, Professor! Great day to be alive, huh?”

 

“Why, yes, I suppose it is,” Quinn answered cautiously. “May I help you with something?”

 

“Nope, just wanted to say congratulations. Have a great day!” 

 

“Thank you, but-” The phone went dead. He stared at it for a long moment, pondering the idiosyncrasies of the young.

 

The rest of the day passed in similar fashion: phone calls, emails, even a few IM’s from other faculty members, all offering best wishes and thanking him for his years of service. Odd. It wasn’t his birthday, or an anniversary. He hadn’t threatened to quit or retire for at least a week. What was going on?

 

By mid-afternoon, Quinn was beyond baffled and nearing the end of his less-than-infinite patience. Clearly everyone on the planet – or at least on campus – knew something he didn’t. Even worse, no one seemed to be the slightest bit interested in enlightening him. He’d stopped answering the phone after lunch, but his voice mail was nearly full, not to mention his email in-box. With a sigh, he shut down and headed home, already looking forward to a hot meal and a cold drink. 

 

A pleasant surprise met him as he walked in from the garage. Mouth-watering smells wafted from the kitchen, a fire was burning in the living room, and he could hear Ben singing a capella somewhere. Following the sound, he found his lover in the kitchen, swathed in a huge apron and earbuds extending down to an iPod on his belt. That explained the singing. He slipped an arm around the slim waist and pulled him back into his arms, grinning sardonically at the gasp of surprise, then the relaxation against him.

 

Ben pulled the earbuds from his head. “Hi. Didn’t hear you come in.” He turned his head for a kiss, then studied Quinn’s face. “Tough day?” he asked sympathetically.

 

“Strange day,” Quinn answered. “Lots of phone calls and emails and stuff.”

 

“About what?” Ben asked casually. Maybe a bit *too* casually, come to think of it. And he was suddenly concentrating totally on the stove top.

 

“Ben,” Quinn said slowly. “Do you know anything about this?” 

 

“About what?” Ben asked innocently. “You’re a department chairman. People need to find you all day long, don’t they?”

 

“To *congratulate* me? For what?” Quinn pressed suspiciously. He was definitely beginning to smell a rat. An auburn-haired, green-eyed rat that was trying hard not to squirm.

 

“Dunno,” Ben said, with a shrug. Quinn didn’t miss the sideways glance over his shoulder, though. He pried the wooden spoon from his lover’s hand, set it carefully down on the stovetop and turned the younger man to face him, cupping his chin in a big hand. 

 

“Benjamin,” he said silkily. “What is going on?” Blue eyes bored into green.

 

“I’d think you’d be happy that so many people remembered you on your special day,” Ben quipped, with a mischievous smile. He didn’t appear even slightly intimidated by Professorial Glare No. 2, usually reserved for errant freshmen looking to get out of a lab assignment. The cocky lad even dared to lick the end of his nose!

 

“And what day would that be?” Quinn asked quietly.

 

“Look at the calendar, silly,” Ben said, laughing. He reached for the smartphone on his belt and pulled up the calendar app. “It’s National Fossil Day!”

 

~end~


End file.
